Prep Game Filled Up Stadium

Sports Forum - The fans pick their favorite rivaries

December 1, 1991

THE GREATEST rivalry I ever came across was in Miami. This was the annual Miami High-Miami Edison football clash every Thanksgiving night.

The series started back in 1923. Edison was then known as Dade County Agricultural High School. Each year Miami High managed to defeat Edison. I came upon it in high school, and the cry was ''Beat Miami High!'' This all started the day school started in September and usually lasted until the third quarter of Thanksgiving night.

When I left school in 1943, for 20 years we had never beaten Miami High. Jess Yarbrough (Clemson) was the Miami High coach. Ed ''Pop'' Parnell, a former Gator, was the Edison coach who suffered many defeats on Thanksgiving. The crowds were unheard of. The Orange Bowl at the time seated 34,000, and it was packed every Thanksgiving. The University of Miami drew 10,000 to its home games. This high school clash had the highest attendance in the state of Florida for football.

When did it end? The year was 1952. Jackie Simpson, later a star Gator, was Miami Edison's tailback in 1952. He ran up and down the field in Edison's 21-0 first-ever victory over Miami High. The kids took over downtown Miami for a celebration never before heard of. It was 29 years of frustration, but what a victory parade.